


I trusted you would come

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Amnesia, Friendship, Gen, Head Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 15:09:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12323484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Neal is found after being kidnapped. Peter is there to take care of him.





	I trusted you would come

**Author's Note:**

> Fic was written to fill the ‘kidnapping’ square on my H/C bingo card

‘What happened?’ Neal asks in a soft voice.

Peter rouses from his slumber on the cot next to Neal´s bed. There is a small night light on, so Peter can see Neal is sitting up, scanning his surroundings. He looks confused and disoriented. Peter makes more light so Neal can see he is safe.

‘What was that, Neal?’

Peter rubs his face in an attempt to clear his sleep deprived brain.

‘Something happened, didn´t it? Why am I here?’

‘What do you remember?’

Peter can see Neal is searching his memory.

‘I can´t… I cn´t remember. But something happened, didn´t it?’

‘Why do you think something happened?’

‘You look like hell. I… and I… my head hurts.’

‘Do you remember my name?’

‘Neal looks back at Peter.

‘Of course I know who you are, Peter.’

‘’Good, that is an improvement on the previous times. How are you feeling? Are the headaches still that bad?’

Neal nods.

‘Here, I will give you some liquid painkiller. Just rest, go back to sleep, it will come back to you.’

Neal nods, swallows the medicine on the spoon without question and lays down, pulling the cover up to his chin. Within minutes his breathing evens out.

Peter studies his CI with some worry. When they found Neal in that dark cellar, he hadn´t been coherent. He was barely conscious and his babbling made no sense. It was heartbreaking. He was confused and nervous and the agents swarming the place didn´t help with his anxiety.

Peter had sat down and pulled Neal against him by wrapping his arm around his shoulders. Neal had put his head on Peter´s shoulder. Peter closed his eyes, taking a moment to get his own feelings under control when Neal had whispered ‘I trusted you would come.’ It was the only coherent remark he made.

 

* *  *

 

The doctors in the ER mentioned concussion, moderate traumatic brain injury, amnesia. They had sewn the gash to the side of Neal´s head, bandaged it. Neal had been too out of it to make a big fuss.

All in itself his injuries were not too bad, but they added up. The doctors wanted to keep him overnight, but Neal´s anxiety made him a flight risk. Peter could tell Neal would run at the first opportunity. He couldn´t risk Neal out there with amnesia and no anklet. The Marshalls promised to bring one first thing in the morning.

The doctor agreed it would be more comfortable for Neal to take him home as long as there was someone with him to check up on him. Since June was visiting relatives, Peter told the doctor he would take Neal home.

When they arrived home, Neal was pale as a sheet and ready to collapse. The paleness turned into an impressive color green by the time they arrived at the top of the stairs. Peter maneuvered Neal into bed and placed a bucket next to the bed. Since Elizabeth was out of town with some girlfriends, he put a cot in the guest bedroom so he would wake if Neal needed anything.

Neal mostly slept, waking up confused, anxious, but Peter was always able to talk him back into resting. The doctor predicted that with rest, the memories would return.

Until Neal could remember who took him, they needed to continue their search for his kidnapper. They were able to find Neal because whomever took him left them a message where to find Neal. It was Peter´s theory that Neal´s kidnapper got cold feet when Neal´s injury turned out to be more serious then he or she expected. His kidnapper clearly hadn´t anticipated that hitting someone over the head could cause so much damage. Neal probably wasn´t useful anymore. Whatever their reason, Peter was glad they had Neal back.

 

* *  *

 

‘Peter?’

Peter opens his eyes and gets up. He walks up to the bed when he sees Neal tries to leave the bed.

‘Yes, Neal?’

‘What happened?’

‘You were hurt.’ Peter sighs.

Neal looks confused when he picks up on Peter´s mood and Peter feels guilty that his tiredness starts to bleed in his voice. This is not Neal´s fault. But he has barely slept the last two days.

‘Neal, you were hit over the head and you are suffering from a concussion, that is why you can´t remember. It will be OK. You just need to rest.’

‘Why was I hit?’

Peter can hear the insecurity in Neal´s voice.

‘I want you to drink some water, is the headache better?’

‘How do you know I have a headache?’

It is a testimony how off Neal feels.

‘You complained about a headache the last time you woke and you have a concussion, remember, you are bound to have headaches. I gave you some medicine.’

Neal slowly nods.

‘I remember.’

Peter puts the glass of water in his hand and Neal sips it.

‘You were kidnapped. We suspect you were hurt during the initial take. Your kidnapper left us a message where we could find you. We think they got spooked when you kept bleeding. We located you and brought you to hospital.’

‘I remember being in hospital.’

Peter smiles.

‘That is good. I mean not the hospital part, but the part where you remember being there.’

‘Yeah, it is just bits and pieces, but I can´t remember what happened before the hospital.’

‘That is OK. It will come back to you. The doctor said not to try too hard. Let your brain heal first.’

‘Yeah.’

Neal sounds a bit unsure.

‘You want to go to sleep again?’

‘No, I have slept long enough. Can we go downstairs?’

‘Sure, let me get you a robe.’

Once downstairs Peter makes some coffee for himself and tea for Neal, but Neal almost begs him for a cup of coffee. He gives his best Puppy dog eyes. So even though the doctor said no stimulants, Peter warms some milk adding a shot of coffee. Neal visibly relaxes with the cup in his hand taking his first sip.

‘Shall we watch TV?’

‘No, the doctor said you should avoid TV’s, tablets, smartphones, anything with a screen basically.’

Neal nods in understanding.

‘Shall I read to you?’

‘You would do that?’

‘Sure, let me get my glasses.’

Neal lays down on the couch and Peter covers him with a blanket, before taking a seat in the chair next to the couch. He picks up one of El´s book on the coffee table and starts reading. It doesn’t take long before Peter can tell Neal fell asleep. He continuous reading, until…

 

‘ _He drove his tongue inside her, setting off another shattering moan that was music in his ears. She was quite the instrument to play, so finely tuned…’_

 

Peter stops reading and closes the book, checking out the cover and title. Peter smiles a bit naughty. He needs to have a talk with El when she is back home. He checks if Neal is still comfortable sleeping before he opens the book again and continuous reading.


End file.
